Analysis of the objectives of the EU's new climate and transport policy : an attempt to identify the most significant challenges for companies from the Polish road transport sector

PURPOSE: The main objective of the study is to analyze the goals and initiatives of the EU in the field of climate and transport policy, with an emphasis on how these two policies intersect. Through these considerations, the authors attempted to identify and analyze the most important challenges currently faced by companies operating in the Polish road transport sector.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The study utilized secondary information sources, mainly available literature on the subject, statistical data from industry reports, and databases from GUS and EUROSTAT. The descriptive statistics method was applied, mainly tabular, graphical, and parametric description of the statistical population, with elements of statistical inference.FINDINGS: The new EU policy imposes a series of requirements on transport sector companies that can affect their competitiveness. Particularly important are requirements related to CO2 emissions reduction, promotion of low-emission transport, and adaptation of infrastructure to new technologies.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: For Polish companies, the key will be finding a balance between meeting environmental requirements and maintaining market competitiveness.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Ambitious goals related to emissions reduction and increased energy efficiency offer new opportunities for innovation and modernization. However, implementing these objectives requires significant capital and time investments, which can be a barrier, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.peer-reviewe